Exhibition Design and Lighting Design NY Client

Project News

This exciting new design project for an exhibition of 32 photographs from the Qing Dynasty displayed numerous pieces of Peking (Beijing) life and architecture.

China Exchange, in the centre of London’s Chinatown. They contacted our lighting design firm to deliver guidance on the lighting of sensitive photographic images for a forthcoming exhibition.

This exhibition lighting design NY project was for 32 original photographic images of life and architecture. These amazing images were taken approximately 120 years ago from the Qing Dynasty in Peking (today Beijing).

The China Exchange was working on behalf of curator in New York. Following our site visit, the curator approached our lighting designers directly to brainstorm potential lighting design possibilities. One of the vital parts of providing conservation lighting for any exhibit with sensitive materials is make a compromise between low light levels, whilst still permitting the visitors to observe the art on display.

China Exchange only has ambient lighting which is not suitable for lighting of art. So it was indispensable to install a lighting system which was cost effective for an exhibition that would last for only seven days.

One of the vital parts of providing conservation lighting for any exhibit with sensitive materials is make a compromise between low light levels, whilst still permitting the visitors to observe the art on display.

China Exchange only has ambient lighting which is not suitable for lighting of art. Thus it was indispensable to install a lighting system which was cost effective for an exhibition that would last for only seven days.

Various options where provided to the exhibition curator. A system of low voltage wires was installed above the visitor’s heads, vanishing among the air handling units and ducting. Many movable and focus-able LED light fittings were adjusted to give a low light level of between 60 to 65 lux. Adopting this solution enabled visitors to see the incredible detail of the photographs on display. When the exhibition was closed to visitors the photographs where covered in blackout cloth to minimise exposure to harmful light and any loss of information.

Later in the project our team provided the curator and art collector with a possible exhibition design layout. Our exhibition designer overcame the limitations of the space allowing the images to be seen in their finest form.

Instantly a good relationship was created with this New York based client. Over the next couple of months the client relied on our design know-how, for advice on almost all aspect of the exhibition, lighting, layout, graphics and marketing materials.

Furthermore the exhibition was opened by Sir David Tang, it was well visited by scholars and the public who enjoyed an exhibition which was aesthetic, had beautiful lighting and was created in the shortest of time on the smallest of budgets.

For more exhibition design pictures of this project visit our portfolio {here}

Simon Morris is the director of the design firm Simon Morris Associates. Due to his work with museums and private collectors he is one of only two individuals globally that brings together this level of art + design experience. Simon Morris is a perfectionist who provides excellence in design and associate disciplines.